Drastic Changes
by bigwheels
Summary: This starts out two weeks after the end of season 3. Pacey and Joey have sailed off into the sunset. Dawson, heartbroken at the loss of his soul mate, suffers a crisis of faith that not only makes him question filmmaking but also the essence of who he is


Drastic changes  
Prologue  
By Tom Wheeler

_A/N: This is my very first Fan fic and I hope you like it. I wrote this for two reasons. First one is, that I have read all the stuff on this board and I think you guys are great and I wanted to put my name among that group, and second this is a story that's been floating around in my head for quite a long time and it need to get out. I also wanted to say that this doesn't start out with D/J as a couple but I'm D/J all the way. They have to go through trials and tribulations because nothing worth having is easy._

_Summary: This starts out two weeks after the end of season 3. Pacey and Joey have sailed off into the sunset. Dawson, heartbroken at the loss of his soul mate, suffers a crisis of faith that not only makes him question filmmaking but also the essence of who he is._

_Rating: R_

* * *

It has been two weeks since they had left and every morning Dawson woke up hoping it was all a bad dream, but every morning brought him closer and closer to the realization that she wasn't coming back to him. She had made her choice and he wasn't it. He had fallen into a deep depression and even though his friends were constantly trying to cheer him up and telling him that everything would be okay, he felt lost, he felt like every day a small part of him was dying.

He spent most of his time trying to find a reason for why she chose Pacey over him, asking himself why she didn't love him. He kept coming up with the same conclusion.

"There must be something wrong with me." Dawson said out loud to himself. "I put my heart out there for her and she still chose him. Maybe I'm just not enough. I mean I have been on this soul-searching journey this past year trying to reconnect with myself; maybe what I should have been doing is reinventing myself. Open myself up to new outlooks and new possibilities". As he drifted off to sleep he thought to himself, "If I can get rid of the old Dawson Leary maybe this pain I feel will go with him."

Dawson woke up with a determination he hadn't felt in a long time. As he was getting dressed he looked around his room. "First things first, I need to get out of this room if I'm really going to erase the old Dawson, I need to start fresh and I think I know the perfect place." The only catch is convincing his parents that it was the best thing for him.

"Mom…Dad, can you come into the living room please!" Dawson yelled.

"What is it honey?" Gale asked as her and Mitch came out of the kitchen.

"Can you guys sit down for a second, I have a huge favor to ask you." Dawson said.

"Ok what can we do for you?" Mitch asked.

"Dad, you still have that apartment that you were staying in right? I mean you haven't sublet it yet have you?" Dawson asked.

"No, but why do you want to know," Mitch questioned.

"Well, you know how hard it's been for me lately with the whole Joey and Pacey thing right?" Well I was thinking that a change of scenery would do me good and I was hoping that I could convince you two into letting me stay there, at least for the rest of the summer. I mean I could get a job to pay for at least half of the rent and I can also fix the place up for the future tenants." Dawson pleaded.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea Dawson. I don't think you should be alone right now." Mitch stated.

"Okay… how about if I ask Jack to stay with me and he can help with the other half of the rent, and that way I wont be by myself and you guys don't have to worry." Dawson replied.

"Are you sure this is what you need sweetheart?" Gale asked.

"I know it is Mom, I'm just trying to deal with this the best way I can." Dawson said.

"Well it looks like you have all your bases covered, and providing that Jack agrees to move in, I don't see a problem." Mitch said.

"Thanks Mom and Dad I really appreciate this. Oh, and one more thing Dad? I was wondering if maybe you could teach me about football and maybe we could throw the ball around sometime?" Dawson asked.

"Sure Dawson, I'd really like that." Mitch answered a little surprised at his son's question. "Maybe this will be a good thing for him." Mitch thought.

As Dawson walked back to his room he thought to himself, "I hope this works. I don't know if I can handle any more pain. I just hope that the new Dawson Leery will be strong enough to get through this".

_Please send me feedback, good or bad I just want to do the story justice. I have more chapters floating around in my head but any suggestions you guys might have will be greatly appreciated._


End file.
